Blocked Websites
At school, at the office, even at home if your parents have strict rules - there are blocked websites everywhere!

Whether they have been blocked by an authority figure, or they’re region-specific and block you based on IP address and location, it can be incredibly frustrating.

Sometimes you really need to access a blocked site for one reason or another; other times you’re really bored and just want to check Facebook. Is there a way to get around the wall?

If you want to unblock a website on Chrome, Firefox or (without judgement) Internet Explorer, there are several steps you can take.

Most of them rely on hiding your IP address, as this is what your service provider sends out when you surf the web and determines whether you can access a site or not.

Our Top Tips For Unblocking Websites On Your Computer

Use A Proxy

Slightly old fashioned now VPNS are around (more on those in a minute) but more likely to be free and require no downloads, a public web proxy is great for surfing at school or work, where you can’t install any programs.

They work quickly, keeping your IP address disguised and constantly redirecting your browsing traffic through a variety of servers and addresses that are available for public use.

Unfortunately, they won’t protect you from the eyes of your Internet Service Provider, the government or any potential hackers. If you’re using your credit card or typing out important information, don’t use a proxy to do that.

Install A VPN

Using your own computer but want to securely cover your tracks or surf blocked sites? A VPN or Virtual Private Network is the perfect solution. You’ll connect up a remotely hosted VPN, which then in turn pings you over to your desired website.

Your IP address is hidden, as is your location - this way you can appear to be logged in from anywhere in the world. Most quality VPNs let you pick and choose your location, allowing you to access Netflix from other regions. Canada’s is so good!

Be aware that the majority of VPN services will have a price tag, or their free versions will be incredibly limited and affect which sites you can unblock. If you’re serious about surfing, you might want to invest in one like NordVPN.

Use Tor or Other Open Source Browsers

If you’re online a lot, you may have heard of Tor before.

This open-sourced browser is a version of Firefox run on the Tor network; by creating several layers of encryption that hide your important data, as well as randomly redirecting you like a VPN, it’s the easiest way to stay anonymous.

It’s also used to access the Dark Web, so it has a pretty bad rep!

Although it works fantastically, and you can use it to access essentially any website on the internet without being tracked, it works at a much slower pace than your normal browser would.

This is primarily because the volunteers who moderate and manage the Tor network are prioritizing the safety of your data and anonymity, rather than load your searches in a millisecond. Decide whether this is a compromise you’re willing to make!

Quick One-Time Hacks

Need to access a website, but unable to use any of the above tricks? You could try one of these life hacks - it might not work, but it could also allow you one-time access to the site you need, with no hassle


Enter A Site’s IP Address, Not The URL

Sometimes, the software being used to block you from certain sites only works on their website URLs, and not the IP address. By using a tool like this to find out what a website’s IP address is, then pasting that into your address bar instead, you could bypass that annoying block.


Try Adding (Or Removing) The S In HTTPS

You’ll find that a lot of sites have both a “secure” and non-secure website, indicated by the presence of the letter S in the URL. If it’s there and the site is blocked, try taking it out. If you don’t have an S and the site is blocked, try putting one in!

It’s as simple as that, but it is incredibly important to bear in mind that the non-secure websites are very easily compromised and should not be used to input bank information or other personal data. Avoid only using HTTP where possible!